Fireworks: AG Pam Bondi Gets Into Shouting Match With Rep. Thomas Massie Over Epstein Files

Go to Article

Things got heated on Wednesday during Attorney General Pam Bondi’s hearing before the House Judiciary Committee.

Sparks started flying after Rep. Massie called out Bondi for allegedly violating the Epstein Files Transparency Act.

Massie claimed the DOJ has been redacting people’s names in the Epstein File drops who are not victims.

In response to Massie’s claims, Bondi claimed Massie was suffering from Trump Derangement Syndrome.

Watch here:

WHAS 11 provided quotes from the heated exchange and provided further context on how the exchange started:

Attorney General Pam Bondi faced questions from lawmakers Wednesday over the Department of Justice’s handling of files in the Jeffrey Epstein investigation.

Wednesday’s hearing before the House Judiciary Committee comes days after U.S. Rep. Thomas Massie (R-Ky.) and other lawmakers were allowed to view unredacted versions of the Epstein files.

After viewing the unredacted files, Massie criticized the DOJ for redacting names of people who were not victims, violating the Epstein Files Transparency Act that he co-authored with U.S. Rep. Ro Khanna (D-Calif.).

Massie grilled Bondi during Wednesday’s hearing, calling the DOJ’s release of more than 3.5 million files a “massive failure,” citing the release of victims’ personal information and redactions of people who were not victims of Epstein, including billionaire Les Wexner.

“Your deputy attorney general said, ‘Oh, well [Wexner] appears hundreds of times in the files.’ But he doesn’t appear in this file until I forced you to release it where he’s listed as a co-conspirator, not to tax evasion, but to child sex trafficking,” the Kentucky congressman argued.

In a heated back-and-forth exchange, Bondi then called Massie a “political joke,” a “hypocrite” with “Trump Derangement Syndrome,” and a “failed politician.”

“Within 40 minutes, Wexner’s name was added back in,” Bondi said.

“Within 40 minutes of me catching you red-handed!” Massie snapped, cutting her off.

“This is bigger than Watergate, this goes over four administrations,” he concluded. “This cover-up spans decades and you are responsible for this portion of it.”

Here’s the full video of Bondi and Massie battling it out:

Fox News reported, Massie wasn’t the only lawmaker to take jabs at Bondi:

Attorney General Pam Bondi’s hearing before the House Judiciary Committee Wednesday devolved into a chaos of shouts and interruptions as she clashed with several Democratic committee members.

Several Epstein victims were present in the room during Bondi’s testimony, and Rep. Pramila Jayapal, D-Wash., asked Bondi to turn around and apologize to them directly for allegedly failing to protect them amid investigations. Bondi rejected the premise and accused Jayapal of resorting to “theatrics.”

“Attorney General Bondi, you apologized to the survivors in your opening statement for what they went through at the hands of Jeffrey Epstein. Will you turn to them now and apologize for what your Department of Justice has put them through – with the absolutely unacceptable release of the Epstein files and their information?” Jayapal asked.

“Congresswoman, you sat before – [Former AG] Merrick Garland sat in this chair twice,” Bondi began before being cut off.

“Attorney General Bondi, I’m gonna reclaim my time,” Jayapal interjected.

“Can I finish my answer?” Bondi pressed.

“No, I’m gonna reclaim my time because I asked you a specific question,” Jayapal said as Chairman Jim Jordan began to interject. “That I would like you to answer.”

“The attorney general can respond to your question,” Jordan said, speaking over her.

“Will you turn to the survivors – this is not about anybody that came before you. It is about you taking responsibility for your Department of Justice and the harm that it has done to the survivors who are standing right behind you and are waiting for you to turn to them and apologize for what your Department of Justice has done.”

Here’s Rep. Jayapal and Bondi going at it below:



Comment on this Article Via Your Disqus Account